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<title>“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.” by thenorthernwastrel</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23294281">“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.”</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenorthernwastrel/pseuds/thenorthernwastrel'>thenorthernwastrel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fable (Video Games), Fable 3 (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:34:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>593</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23294281</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenorthernwastrel/pseuds/thenorthernwastrel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Walter has some realizations while Jasper tries to keep up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Walter Beck/Jasper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.”</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.” </p><p>The young butler’s eyes widened in surprise, and brows knit in anger. “Sir, that is highly inappropriate—I am simply doing my job!” he exclaimed, tone hushed to match the early morning atmosphere.</p><p>The outburst was a clear sign that the knight had struck gold, and brought a wide smile to his face. “Bringing me my favorite breakfast before I’ve even risen? And a vase with my favorite flower—How did you even find that <i>out</i>?”</p><p>Jasper pauses as he searches for an excuse and <i>oh</i>, what a wonderful silence. Walter had him <i>good</i>.</p><p>“You’ve simply seemed on <i>edge </i>lately, Sir, and… well, usually you aren’t <i>awake </i>by this hour—”<br/>
</p><p>“No, usually I’m woken up by the footman in about 15 minutes–but you know that, don’t you Jasper?” An eyebrow rises as he leans in closer. “That’s why you’re here <i>now</i>.”<br/>
</p><p>The poor servant looks to the tray of food and then to the vase, as though he’s trying to piece together some part of a puzzle. Walter watches his eyes as they stray from their path to glance at his nightshirt, and quickly return. Good thing he <i>wore </i>a shirt that night—He’d hate to scare the poor bugger off.</p><p>Finally the man spoke, and Walter had to admit he was impressed with the feigned composure. “Sir, just because I am being <i>nice </i>doesn’t mean I’m trying to–to <i>seduce </i>you. As I said, you have seemed a bit out of sorts lately, and I thought perhaps a pleasant <i>change </i>such as this would do you well.”</p><p>As he talked, Walter had leaned back, grabbed the flower and begun smelling it, feeling the softness of the petals on his nose as he did so. “A change?” he asked simply.</p><p>“Yes, Sir,” the butler <i>said </i>simply.<br/>
</p><p>Walter nodded a few times and hummed, still holding the flower to his face. “Perhaps you’re right.”</p><p>Relief visually, though <i>subtly</i>, washed over Jasper. “Yes, Sir,” he repeated.</p><p>“I do need a change.”</p><p>“Sir?”<br/>
</p><p>The flower shifted to rest on his bearded chin as though in place of a finger as he got an idea. “What are you doing later?”</p><p>Confusion; concern. “…<i>Sir</i>?”</p><p>“I mean <i>later </i>later. After supper. Do you have any plans?”<br/>
</p><p>Jasper’s eyes narrowed, suspicious, not catching on. “Simply… simply to respond to some correspondences and then <i>retire</i>, Sir, why—”</p><p>“Jasper, it would be a <i>very </i>pleasant change if you were to sit and talk with me alone sometime tonight, perhaps over dessert?”<br/>
</p><p>The man blinks as he processes Walter’s words, and the <i>real </i>meaning of them. A smile slowly spreads across his face and he tries to hide it rather desperately, looking down. “I-I’m flattered, Sir, but I would hardly find it <i>proper</i>.”</p><p>“Oh balls to propriety, Jasper! Do what <i>you </i>want for once,” and if he said really <i>didn’t </i>want to dine with him, Walter would drop it.<br/>
</p><p>It’s a few seconds before Jasper responds, smile having won the battle and now plain on his face, and telling of his answer long before he’s able to speak it. “Yes, I think I would like that very much.”</p><p>The corners of Walter’s eyes crinkled with a smile; this was a victory for both of them, finally getting over the unspoken feeling between them that, until recently, both had thought one-sided. They must have been <i>blind</i>. “Wonderful. I’ll see you then.”</p><p>If there’s a spring in Jasper’s step on his way to the door, Walter pretends not to notice.</p>
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